Improvement in car-couplings



J. L. TDMPKINS.

Car-Couplings.

No.149,267. Patenredmarchsman.

W NESSES. u Y Y 'Y [.NVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES L. TOMPKINS, OF BOONESBOROUGH, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming palt of Letters Patent No. 149,267, dated March 3l, 1874; application led February 4, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs L. ToMPKINs, of Boonesborough, in the county of Boone and in the State of Iowa, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Gar-0ouplings5 and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this speciiication.

The nature of my invention consists iu the construction and arrangement of a car-coupling, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in theL art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my carcoupling. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the swinging receiver or box. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

A represents the bumper or draw-h ead, which is constructed with a large openin g at the front end for the reception of a box or receiver, B. The rear end of the bumper A is constructed in the usual manner, to be inserted into the irons on old cars. The box or receiver B is constructed with an interior angular chamber, a, with a flaring mouth or throat, b. The chamber a at its inner portion is only at-rifle higher than the thickness of the link C, which is of the ordinary form or shape. The rear side of the chamber a is smaller than the mouth or throat b, and from the throat the chamber increases in width to a certain point, and then decreases to the back, forming angles d d. The

box or receiver B is pivoted in the bumper A by a bolt, h, which passes through the upper part of the box, and also passes through and pivots a coupling-pin, D, placed in a slot, e, in the top of the receiver. rIhe lower end of the coupling-pin D enters a groove in the bottom of the chamber a, and, when the cars are coupled, it bears against a shoulder, j', as shown. The upper end of the coupling-pin is curved back ward and connected with suitable devices to turn the pin on its pivot for uncoupling the cars either at the top or either side thereof. The box or receiver B, when the cars are not coupled, sags or turns back and rests upon suitable projections at the bottom of the bumper.

The interior of the box B is grooved or tinted' in the top and bottom for holding the link in place and if it should get out of place by striking it on the end, it is thrown back into position by the angular formation of the sides of the chamber a. The box or receiver B, swinging` on its pivot h, allows of coupling cars of diiferent height witha straight link.

, Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination ot the bumper A, swinging receiver B, coupling-link C, and coupling-pin D, all constructed substantially as andfor thc purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of January, 1874.

JAMES L. TOMPKINS.

Vitnesses I. J. MITGHEL, L. W. SHERMAN. 

